Best Time to Drive from Hollywood to Palmdale

Right now (5:47 pm PDT): about 80 minutes via SR-14 North and I-5 North, usually 64 at this time.

Only 19% of this drive is measured by working traffic sensors right now. The rest is estimated from nearby sensors, typical speeds and street traffic, so times can be off. Why so few sensors work.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Hollywood to Palmdale by day and time you leave (local time)
Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	53	52	52	51	54	57	57	60	59	63	59	61	60	60	57	56	53
Tue	51	52	53	52	53	55	55	55	55	56	57	60	60	64	59	57	54
Wed	52	51	52	52	52	53	54	54	54	54	55	56	56	59	56	54	50
Thu	52	52	52	55	56	57	57	58	58	58	64	75	72	65	64	58	52
Fri	52	53	52	53	53	61	62	64	65	65	67	68	71	66	65	60	54
Sat	52	52	52	52	53	55	63	65	60	63	62	58	58	53	53	55	52
Sun	52	50	50	51	52	54	62	68	77	77	77	64	54	54	53	54	53

About this drive

On weekdays the 55-mile drive from Hollywood to Palmdale (via SR-14 North and I-5 North) usually takes as little as 50 minutes and up to 75 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 10 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 58 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1:30 pm on Sundays (78 minutes).

About 49 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 6 miles surface streets (8 to 12 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Hollywood to central Palmdale along the route on the map. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

Simulated from typical freeway speeds at each point of the drive for the time you would reach it, from every 5-minute reading we have recorded. We don't have sensors on surface streets yet, so the time on them is estimated from how congested the freeways around each end of the drive are at that time, in both directions: streets jam when the freeways do.

Questions

What is the best time to drive from Hollywood to Palmdale?

On weekdays, leave before 10 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 50 minutes then, versus up to 75 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Hollywood to Palmdale?

The 55-mile drive usually takes 50 to 75 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 58 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Hollywood to Palmdale?

Leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 75 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-14 North in Los Angeles (27 miles) · I-5 North in Los Angeles (11 miles) · SR-170 North in Los Angeles (6 miles) · US-101 North in Los Angeles (5 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Palmdale to Hollywood (return trip) · Hollywood to Los Angeles · Hollywood to Santa Monica · Hollywood to Pasadena · Hollywood to Long Beach · Hollywood to West Covina · Hollywood to Santa Clarita · Hollywood to Van Nuys · Hollywood to Torrance · Hollywood to El Monte · Hollywood to Downey · Hollywood to Whittier

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	53	52	52	51	54	57	57	60	59	63	59	61	60	60	57	56	53
Tue	51	52	53	52	53	55	55	55	55	56	57	60	60	64	59	57	54
Wed	52	51	52	52	52	53	54	54	54	54	55	56	56	59	56	54	50
Thu	52	52	52	55	56	57	57	58	58	58	64	75	72	65	64	58	52
Fri	52	53	52	53	53	61	62	64	65	65	67	68	71	66	65	60	54
Sat	52	52	52	52	53	55	63	65	60	63	62	58	58	53	53	55	52
Sun	52	50	50	51	52	54	62	68	77	77	77	64	54	54	53	54	53

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	53	52	52	51	54	57	57	60	59	63	59	61	60	60	57	56	53
Tue	51	52	53	52	53	55	55	55	55	56	57	60	60	64	59	57	54
Wed	52	51	52	52	52	53	54	54	54	54	55	56	56	59	56	54	50
Thu	52	52	52	55	56	57	57	58	58	58	64	75	72	65	64	58	52
Fri	52	53	52	53	53	61	62	64	65	65	67	68	71	66	65	60	54
Sat	52	52	52	52	53	55	63	65	60	63	62	58	58	53	53	55	52
Sun	52	50	50	51	52	54	62	68	77	77	77	64	54	54	53	54	53

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	53	52	52	51	54	57	57	60	59	63	59	61	60	60	57	56	53
Tue	51	52	53	52	53	55	55	55	55	56	57	60	60	64	59	57	54
Wed	52	51	52	52	52	53	54	54	54	54	55	56	56	59	56	54	50
Thu	52	52	52	55	56	57	57	58	58	58	64	75	72	65	64	58	52
Fri	52	53	52	53	53	61	62	64	65	65	67	68	71	66	65	60	54
Sat	52	52	52	52	53	55	63	65	60	63	62	58	58	53	53	55	52
Sun	52	50	50	51	52	54	62	68	77	77	77	64	54	54	53	54	53